


The Long Awaited Answer

by Sketchymaloo



Category: Free!, makoharu - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-21
Updated: 2017-07-21
Packaged: 2018-12-04 21:56:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11564121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sketchymaloo/pseuds/Sketchymaloo
Summary: Makoto and Haru are reunited after several years.Emotions.





	The Long Awaited Answer

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry guys, no sex, but you get emotions instead.
> 
> This fic was typed on my phone at 3am while I was working in a stockroom about two years ago and of course being me I never posted it anywhere haha.

It had been a long last few days at the station, and Makoto was feeling it.  The summer holiday season was in full swing and there always seemed to be a rash of careless fires getting started in the city.  He had spent the last 3 straight days on back to back calls, catching naps here and there as he could manage to.  But tonight he finally was granted a day of rest and opted to try out some finer dining; his diet lately had subsisted on takeout and simple meals he could manage in a microwave, and he wanted something solid and healthy for once.  A restaurant had opened up about six months ago, and it was pretty good, from what a few of his station buddies had said, so tonight would be his night to give it a shot.  Makoto, dressed down into a casual pair of nice jeans and a button down, and headed over to the restaurant.  He was greeted at the door and ushered to a table; the place had a nice calm air about it, with dimmed lighting and lit table candles, it was pricier than he usually went for but a treat was always nice. Gazing through the menu he he saw several things he wanted, but couldn't just decide on one.  As the waiter came up to take his order he smiled, thinking "sure whatever" to himself, and asked for the chef special; he felt like having a bit of excitement.

"Ah sir you won't be disappointed, we'll have that ready for you shortly."

In a few minutes he was served the chef's specialty dish; it was a hot vegetable based soup, coupled with a primary dish of fried mackerel with lemons over a bed of seasoned rice and asparagus.  Makoto smiled to himself as he tucked into his meal, finding it to taste just like an old friend used to make.  They hadn't talked in ages, and, now that the fish was reminding him of it, he wasn't entirely sure where they were now.  Part of this made him momentarily sad, and he suddenly wished he had chosen another dish.

"How was your meal sir?"  The waiter had returned with a drink refill and the cheque.

"It was fantastic, reminded me of home."  Makoto smiled through his thoughts warmly.  "Please do give my regards to the chef."

"Certainly sir, matter of fact, Chef Nanase is coming out now, you can tell him in person."  The waiter turned and approached a man currently addressing guests at another table across the way just near the kitchen doors.

"N-Nanase.....?"  Makoto sat there, stunned.  "Could it be...?" He felt his chest pounding now with uncertainties.  They had parted ways after high school on such an awkward note, and he hadn't tried contacting him at all.  He looked back up to see the waiter gesturing behind the chef to his table; the chef was just turning around to look. And there he was, as perfect as the last day Makoto had seen him.  Makoto felt the air catch in his throat and he momentarily contemplated ducking under his table or getting up and running out the door.

Haru visibly hesitated in his steps, but coaxed himself over to where his former best friend sat; his brow quivered momentarily in a stressed fashion as he got closer to him.  Makoto stood up as he got closer, heavens he had gotten taller.  It had been just over 5 years, but still.

"Haruka......"  Makoto breathed his full first name, and Haru didn't know what to do other than look up at that over-compassionate face.

"Ma-......Makoto....."  Haru spoke in a sigh, and suddenly found himself engulfed in a tight hug that lifted him off the floor.  The wait staff nearby gasped, as did several other guests. Makoto apologized, with Haru reassuring them everything was fine.  Haru invited him to stay until the restaurant closed, which was in another half hour, to which Makoto happily agreed.

The pair left the restaurant, being the last out for lock-up, and Haru suggested they stop by his place, which was a few blocks away.  When they arrived, Makoto found himself not surprised at all at the interior of Haru's apartment, which was laid out traditionally, save for an elaborately decorated and fully stocked kitchen.

He sat down awkwardly at one of the island barstools, staring intently at the marbled countertop.

"It's very nice running into you again."  Makoto tried to break the ice, as they hadn't talked much at the restaurant or on the way there save for Makoto indulging about his worklife.  Haru had barely spoken at all.

Haru shuffled around, discarding his uniform coat and having quickly changed into a more comfortable pair of shorts and a t-shirt.

Makoto didn't know what to say.  Haru was right there and he was spacing on words so badly right now.

"Haru....I....."  Makoto started again. "I just...."

"You don't have to say anything.....Makoto."  Haru finally spoke, approaching Makoto from behind in the other room.  Makoto turned in the stool to face him.

"But...Haru-". He stated back in a sigh.

"Don't...."  Haru reached him now, taking Makoto's hands and holding them.  "Please?"

Makoto looked up and saw small tears brimming at the edge of Haru's eyes.  They were tucked quietly in the corners, but Makoto saw them nonetheless, and he smiled.

"I never gave you an answer back then, did I?"  Haru reached out then, cupping Makoto's face in his hands, tilting his chin upwards to meet his own.

"Haru....I understand, you don't have to give me an answ---er….". Makoto started to reply but found his face was inches from Haru's now.

"I'm sorry...."  Haru breathed the words as he stood while Makoto sat, his face angled down at him slightly from where he sat, with barely an inch now between them.  Fresh tears fell now and Makoto felt them down fall hot upon his cheeks.

Makoto's hands instinctively wiped them away, pulling Haru's face down, their foreheads touching.  He wasn't sure what to do or say in that moment.

"Haru...."  Makoto spoke in a slight shaky tone, as his own bottled emotions began to flood his mind.

"Our senior year, just before graduation.......we were at the spring festival.  You told me you loved me." Haru stated as he held Makoto's face in his hands, looking at him so torn now.

Makoto hadn't seen this much emotion out of him in a long time; not since before their third year.  He remembered that night their friendship seemingly ended.  All day he had worked up the courage to finally tell Haru everything, how he truly felt.  Haru had been wearing a blue and white yukata, and they were both standing near the river, awaiting the fireworks display.  Of course, he had blundered a bit when Haru looked at him, he always got lost in that face, and inevitably he blurted it out less like he wanted to.  Haru had merely stared, his eyes widened, not saying a single word.  The fireworks started just then, and Haru never once responded to his confession.  The last two weeks of school were torture then for Makoto as Haru wouldn't speak to him, and had even taken liberties to leave early for school each day after that; Makoto had found the door actually locked each time, and his heart tore for the first few days before he stopped trying entirely.  Rei and Nagisa couldn't get an answer out of Haru either, and Rin was wrapped up in his own graduation so he knew nothing.

"I didn't know how to take it."  Haru stated then, as if to answer Makoto's thoughts.  "I guess I always just knew, but you said it so loud and out of nowhere that night and I just didn't know what to say then."  Haru rested his forehead against Makoto's and sighed heavily. "I wanted to give you an answer but I couldn never say it, the words never came and I would freeze when I picked up the phone......I walked to your door so many times those last two weeks but for the first time in my entire life, I was scared to see you. So I avoided you….and that was so wrong of me to do to you."

Makoto's arms laced around Haru's waist lovingly then as he took all of this in.  Haru had never been good with words, he had simply just done things, and that's how it had always been.

"We graduated and you wouldn't look at me, I thought maybe then it was too late and you hated me now for not saying anything......and then I went to your house the day after graduation, but your parents said you had already left overnight for the fire academy in the city....."  Haru's voice shook with a cocktail of emotions, and Makoto felt his heart tearing itself apart all over again.

"You followed me?"  Makoto asked.

"For the first year, no....I went to a cooking school in Hokkaido, to just get away, but I regretted it and came back, hoping I would run into you.  There are three stations here so I had no idea which one you were at or if you were even still in this city.  So I worked for a few months at a reataurant near the first one, and nothing, then I moved closer to the other, and nothing again.  I just started at this one a month ago."  Haru smiled genuinely at Makoto, a smile he rarely shared with anyone.

"Is it too late to answer you now?"  Haru asked, his fingers ran lovingly through Makoto's hair now, petting his face in a fondness Makoto wasn't used to seeing out of Haru.  He smiled, his heart beginning to lift in hope.

"I'll always wait for your answer, Haru."  Makoto smiled at Haru brighter than he had in years.  Haru took in a small surprised gasp, then smiled back at him, relief replacing worry and uncertainty.

Haru then leaned in, whispering the words they had both been waiting for so long, for Haru to say, and Makoto to hear.

"I love you too, Makoto."  Haru breathed against Makoto's lips before softly kissing him.

Makoto kissed him back, elated.  He had known, he had hoped, but the closure had never come until now.  He had spent the last near five years in the dark wondering if Haru ever did and if they'd ever meet again.  Right now everything felt perfect, as it should have always been for them.  He pressed his lips harder into the kiss then, parting Haru's lips, a small sigh escaping Haru as he allowed him.  Makoto took it, and brought Haru into a heated embrace, pouring every ounce of waiting he had built up into this moment.  He felt tears of relief and joy prick the corners of his eyes, but he didn't care as he felt Haru breathe into him with his own relief.

"Haru....I love you."  Makoto whispered between kisses.

"I love you too, Makoto."  Haru answered back once more.


End file.
